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Critical Realism

In this session of the “Children in Theory” series, Professor Priscilla Alderson (University College London) introduces the main tenets of Critical Realism as a theoretical method. She later discusses with Dr. Rob Faure Walker (University College London) the applicability of the framework to the study of childhood.

What is Critical Realism?

Alderson, P. (2022). What is Critical Realism? In N. Brando, D. Lawson and H. Stalford (eds.) Children in Theory: Theoretical Methods and Approaches to the Study of Childhood.  Online Masterclass Series. University of Liverpool.

In this session, Priscilla Alderson introduces critical realism as a theoretical method, introducing the role that theories in general play in empirical research, the core tenets of a critical realist approach, the key thinkers in the field, the role of critical realism in aiding in bridging the gap between different theoretical and empirical methodologies, and how it can be put into practice.

Simply explained, critical realism aims to inform data analysis in any research topic or method, by both taking the reality of the research subject seriously into account, while adding a critical perspective to how reality is assessed. The ‘critical’ aspect of the methodology refers to the tradition of critiquing inadequate research methods and arguments, and also critiquing injustice and oppression in the Marxist tradition to change the world as well as to interpret it. Some key issues and authors presented in this video:

  • Different forms in which theories relate to research. Particularly, the difference between theories that tackle ontological and epistemological questions.
  • The work of Roy Bhaskar as the source of critical realist research.
  • The sociological applications by Margaret Archer, Douglas Porpora or David Graeber.
  • The core issues of mixing research methods, approaches and theories in sociological research.
  • The role of critical realism in putting different methodologies, research practices and theories together.
  • Seven tenets of positivist and of interpretivist research methodologies.
  • The Three levels of reality in the social sciences.
  • How critical realism aids in complementing and combining positivist and interpretivist methodologies through analyses of structures, agency, and studies of the four planes of social being.

Critical Realism and Childhood

Faure Walker, R. and Alderson, P. (2022). Critical Realism and Childhood. In N. Brando, D. Lawson and H. Stalford (eds.) Children in Theory: Theoretical Methods and Approaches to the Study of Childhood.  Online Masterclass Series. University of Liverpool.

Springing from the introduction to critical realism as a theoretical framework, Priscilla Alderson and Rob Faure Walker discuss its applicability to studies on childhood, some conceptual clarifications required to better understand the frameworks for doing critical realist research, and examples applied to issues of childhood which clarify how the method can be put into practice. Among the issues addressed are the following:

  • The Epistemic Fallacy, and the dangers of not recognising the difference between epistemological and ontological analyses of childhood.
  • The study and focus on real causal mechanisms which enable finding underlying realities that frame our social world, and how we interpret it.
  • An analysis of the role that structures and human agency play in our studies of childhood.
  • An analysis of the four planes of social being (bodies, relations, structures, and the inner self), and how they aid in how we should analyse and organise information when doing childhood research.
  • The potential value of reaping from our experiences as parents, teachers, and children in order to do childhood research.

Further References and Sources

For a good introductory overview of concepts, methodologies, frameworks and applied case studies in critical realism:

  • Alderson, P. and Faure Walker, R. (2022) Ten introductory video sessions on critical realism. See here.
  • Porpora, D. (2015). Reconstructing Sociology: the critical realist approach. Cambridge University Press.
  • Petter Næss and Leigh Price (eds) (2016). Crisis System: A Critical Realist and Environmental Critique of Economics and the Economy. Routledge
  • Mervyn Hartwig (ed) (2007) Dictionary of Critical Realism. Routledge.
  • Theweleit, K. (1990). Object-Choice (All you need is love...); Verso.

On Ontology

  • Smith, C. (2011) What is a Person? Rethinking Humanity, Social Life, and the Moral Good from the Person Up. Chicago Il: University of Chicago Press.

Key Texts by (and on) Ray Bhaskar

  • 1975 A Realist Theory of Science
  • 1979 The Possibility of Naturalism
  • 1993 Dialectic: The Pulse of Freedom
  • 1994 Plato Etc.
  • David Graeber Summary of Bhaskar’s work at the launch of Gary Hawke’s edited book of his interview with Roy: The Order of Natural Necessity: A Kind of Introduction to Critical Realism. See here.
  • Alderson, P. (in press) Berry Mayall and Roy Bhaskar: Critical Thinkers, London Review of Education 2022 special issue to celebrate 120 years of the Institute of Education.

Key Texts by Margaret Archer

  • 1979 Social Origins of Educational Systems
  • 1988 Culture and Agency
  • 2000 Being Human: The Problem of Agency
  • 2003 Structure, Agency and the Internal Conversation.

Critical Realism and Childhood Studies

  • Alderson, P. (2013). Childhoods Real and Imagined: An Introduction to Critical Realism and Childhood Studies, Routledge
  • Alderson, P. (2015) The Politics of Childhoods Real and Imagined: Practical Application of Critical Realism and Childhood Studies,
  • Alderson, P. (in press) Critical realism and theories of childhood, rights and children’s consent to heart surgery, In: Sarada Balagopalan, John Wall, Karen Wells (eds) Handbook of Theories in Childhood Studies, New York: Bloomsbury.
  • Alderson, P. and Morgan, J. (2022) Realist by inclination, childhood studies, dialectic and bodily concerns: an interview. Journal of Critical Realism.
  • Alderson, P. (2014) Interview in Smith, C. and Greene, S. Key Thinkers in Childhood Studies. Bristol: Policy, 29-38.
  • Alderson, P., Sutcliffe, K. and Mendizabal, R. (2020) A critical realist analysis of consent to surgery for children, human nature and dialectic: the pulse of freedom, Journal of Critical Realism, 19(2) 159-171.
  • Martin, K. 2017. A critical realist study of shared decision-making in young people’s mental health inpatient units. PhD Thesis. London: UCL,  https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10071358/1/KM%20-%20updated%20thesis%20to%20upload.pdf
  • Mendizabal, R. 2017. A Critical Realist Study of Neonatal Intensive Care in Mexico. PhD Thesis. London: UCL, https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1546182/
  • Yoshida, T. 2011. Corporal Punishment of Children: A Critical Realist Account of Experiences from Two Primary Schools in Urban Tanzania. London: IOE, https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10020614/

Critical Realism: other Applications

  • Alderson P. (2021) Critical Realism for Health and Illness Research. Bristol: Policy Press.

This project has been developed by members of the European Children’s Rights Unit with the support of the British Academy’s Newton International Fellowship award No. NIFBA19\190492KU. For more information on the series, please contact Nico Brando.

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